Independent wheel suspension



INDEPENDENT WHEEL 'SUSPENSION I f* Filed Nov. 2o, 1933 r v:5 sheetssrleexr Patented oa. 19, 1937 UNITED fs-raras y l ,I 2,096,115 j mnmnnnanr WHEEL SUSPENSION 1mm' wycufie mienten, Por: nui-on, man. Application November 20, 1933, Serial No. 698,846

8 Claims.

' AThe present invention has been devised for the vpurpose of enhancing the riding qualities of Vmotor cars by supporting the front end ofthe frame of the car by means independentiy'connected to the opposite wheels and therebyl reducing the transmission of shocks to the frame resulting from inequalities in road surfaces,` and providing a structure which permits kof the useoflow rate springs thereby stabilizing the carand producing l0 a smooth riding vehicle. f o v A very important object of this invention is to 'provide a suspensionwhich will enable a simple and accurate adjustment of. castere of the wheel settings without'interfering with the augment of the bearing surfaces.' f Y The principal features ofthe invention consist in the' novel construction and arrangementfof arms pivotally connected to .and extending laterally from the cary frame, resiliently supporting the load and hinged freely to king pin supports upon which king pins are Vadjustably mounted to permitindependent adjustment of thev -angularity of the king pins andthe wheel assemblies mounted thereon while maintaining parallel alignment of the hinge bearings. v

In the accompanyingrdrawings, `Figure 1 isa plan view of a wheel suspension showing apreferredform of casterWadjustm'ent mounting for the kingpin. n V y Figure 2 is a front elevational` partV sectional view of the assembly. l' .Figure 3 is anenlarged front elevational view showingtheking pin support and adjustable ldng pin bracket. 5' Figure4 is an enlarged elevational view taken from the inner side of the king pin support shown in Figure. f o f Figure 5 isan enlarged endf'elevational view of the shockpabsorbersupportL element for the upper pivotal-arms of the suspension." Figure 6 is a plan vieW-inpart section ofthe lower pivot arm and its adjustable pivot support on the frame ofthe car. 'u 7 is an elevational viewof theadjustable pivot arm support ,shown partly in section. 'l Figure 8 is a cross sectional view through the line a-'s of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a front velevational part sectional View of a modied form of king pin support.

Figure 10 is a side elevational part sectional viewwof the support shown in Figure 9.

In the present invention the accompanying drawings illustrate in part the frame of a motor'` car, the side sill I of which has secured thereto (ci. 29o-124)l t f a-pai'r-of rigid noriztntai 'I bers und a which are spaced apart.

i An angle bar 4 here shown as a part ofa plate y to, the front end thereof being `*spaced farther` `from the centre line-than the'rear end.

A bar 6 is pivotally mounted Ycentrally of its length upon a bolt 1 secured centrally ofthe bar` 10 4 and is adapted to swing thereon in a vertical plane, features pertaining toysuch bar mounting being set forth and claimed in a division'offthis application, filed March` 15th,. 919'3'7;I SerialvfNo." 130,878. o j4 l f Bolts 8 are mounted inthe bari adjacent to each end and extend through vertically arranged slots 9l in the angle bar which permit the' barito be swung to adjusted positions and rigidlysecured. Y l o i .The extremities of the bar 8 are providedwith threaded bearing surfaces III'and on these-are Y threaded the bushings` II` which are internally threaded to provide bearing surfaces and said bushings are externally threaded with'a locking-25,

thread to engage the correspondingly threaded hubs 'I2 of the Wishbone arm I3 which extends' angularly outward beyond the'frame sill I iii-ja'- f substantial horizontal position.- The outer end.

or apex, of the "wlshbone I8 is formed-with a ;30 f

lugy I4.

A-bar is, wnicniformsihe innig pin supporais formed` with a forked end I 6 'which spans the lug I4. Abolt I1 extends through andislsecured f vin thelug I4 and ends I8 thereof are 4threaded 35 and engage in threaded vbearing contact withthe adjustable threaded bushings I9 mounted in lug ends of the fork I6. I 'Mounted above the frame sill I are' a pair of s j flanged brackets 20 and 2| -between which is V40 y mounted a suitable type of "shock absorber der vice 22 "provided with aspindle v23 which is ar ranged in parallel alignment with the bar 6. The

supporting brackets 2U and 2| are provided with vertically slotted lugs 24 throughwhich thev bolts 4 5 y 25 extend to adjustably secure the member 22. An arm 26, rigidly secured to or formingpart of thespindle 23 of the shockabsorber extends horizontally outward therefrom 'above the wish-V bone arm;vand an arm 21 rigidly secured to the 50 i opposite end of the shock absorber spindle 23 also extends horizontally outward and the exy tremities of said arms extend either side Vof Ythe upper end 28 of the -king pin support I5. A .threaded bolt 29 secured in the kend 28 of. the 55 kinglpin'support extends into the ends oi the arms 28 and 21 where it is secured in an adjustable bearing joint by suitable threaded bearing bushings, preferably in the'manner disclosed in my co-pending applications Serial No. 695,412.y

The Wishbone arm l3 is provided with a plate section l0 arranged below the "shock absorberl member 22 and a Vspiral compression spring 3|. is

`mounted between said shock absorber and said iplate andis adapted to support the vehicle load.

The king pin supportili'is formed with a cylindrical orice I2 a short distance above its forked lower end and it is also provided-with atransverse slot 3l arranged intermediate of its length. v Theking pin bracket Ilis'forrned witha bar section which nts against the outward face oi' the king pin support-and a stud'll rigid with said bracket extends through the lorifice I2 and-ls .Y

secured by a nut 31. A bolt 38 extends through the upper end of the bar 35 and through thev slot 3 3 in the king pin support and secures the bracket rigidlyk in adjusted positions.

. y'rire wheel asie at is provided with a. jaw mem'- ber 40 which spansthe hubV portion Il ofrthe `king pin bracket .anda suitable king pin connects themembers in a hinge joint.

[ Thusby loosening the'nut 3l and boltsljthe A king pin bracket may be rockedto increase or decrease thecaster angle of the king pin and thereby cause-the wheel to trail to a greater or lesser extent as may be desired independent ofthe particular set or adjustment imparted to the main suspension assembly. l Y

IiI-it is necessary Yto lalter the position foi the arm 28 between the arms 26-21 this adjustment v f caribe eneeted .by siteririgthe relation ofthe do.,L

threaded journal members connecting-the arms 26-21-2l as denedln my co-pending applicationiSerial No. 695,412 vaboverei'erred to.k The s shock absorber unit may then be bolted .in 'its adjusted position. Itis important to note that theking pins Vmay then at any time be individu- ,ally-adjusted iorY ,'caster" without in `any way disturbing thehadjustment ofthe main suspension assembly and its several hinge joints.y

The `pivot arrangement voi the king pin support provides a :very flexible adjustment for the !caster,set of the wheels andvarious mod icatlons may be devised. A` modified form is shown in FiguresS and 10 in vii'vhichthe pivot stud 42 'oftheking pin"bracket is milled witha thread surface V43 which' is engaged bythe threaded portionv M oi' the cross bolt 45. The king pin support is'splitlongitudinally `from thepivot ori- Vilcejao that when the bolt 45 is tightened thestud willbe rigidly secured bythe binding of the split member' as well vas by the vengagement of. the bolt threa stud 42. and relative to thersupports 4 6 may be effected by simply yrotating the threaded cross Ibolts which `actasa worm` drive against the 'milled' surface of the stud and after securingthe,

desired adjustment the adjustment is preserved by tightening the locking nut on the bolt. .Y

f .WhatI claim asA myinvention is:-` ,Y

1. In a vehicle wheel (suspension, a king pin Y With'this type of mounting avery sensitive adjustment of, the king pinfabout theaxis ofthe aman i supported by a wheelaxle,v a` vehicle 'framefarms extendinglaterally from said frame. a support.:

hinged to and directly connecting said arms, and a member mounted-on said king pin and adjustable on said'hinged support in a plane disposed transversely ofthe wheel axis to enable a caster adjustment of thek king pin relativeto said armsv and hinged-support. e

2.V In lan independentrvehicle wheel suspension, a frame, ka. pair of arms hinged to the fra.me,.av

a king pin mounted on said ghinged king vpijn support and capable of 'rocking adjustmentA thereon ina directionfore and aft of the vehicle indea frame, a .pair of arms hinged to thefframe and necting said arms and hinged feelyftheretm aiy king pin fereekefoivoiedonyseid Ahinged oonseeting member, a king pinranda'wheel axlemounty bracket'on the hinged .connecting vmember being f ed` on "said king pin; thepivot vofsaicl king pin disposed substantially horizontal to permita rocking adjustment relative to saids hinged connecting member Ito angularity of the,` king pinaxis, in relationtd the said hinged vconnecting member.

4. In an independent veiiieieyvneeigisusoeido, a frame; a pair ofarms hinged to' .said "i'r'amfto Y swing in a vertical plana'. xnean'gs;directlyA hirlsii to the outer ends. oi said arm`s and;connecting'l y same to' swing in unison 'therewith'. a member rotatablymounted inthe lattermeanson anaxis disposedtransversely or. jtne longitudinal centre 10 king pinsupportconnectingthe,free ends of said farms and hinge'difreely thereto. meansk carrying 15 pendent ofjthexhinged connectionsto en'ectthe alteration ofthe caster angleof the king pin, and a wheelaxle-mounted on the kingpin..

3. In` an independent vehicle wheel suspension, Y

20` extending laterally therefrom,A a memberA con-j line of the lvehicle i'rame,j a `king pinl vrigidlyV` mounted in said rotatable member,v vmeans for, rigidly holding said .rotatable kingpin Ymember in vadjusted positions relative tou said hinged' connecting ,means-'to retain the kills pin atan angle 'of predetermined .caster infrelation togthefsaid hingedconnectingfmeansQand 'ai .'wheel axle carried by sa'idking pin'.

5. In ak vehicle' wheeisuspension, "a vehicle frame', jarms extending" laterally from f saidy girarne,`

a kin8- Pin'support hinged to'andconnectirig said arms, a 'kingfping a 'member mounted on-said 'king saldhinged supportk aboutv a? substantiallyhorizontal axis, and threaded mouniedfin said hinged support l"and adjustahlyf*engagingiv and adjustably. locking ksaid king pin meinberlin ad- Jusoed relation io seidhmgedsupportflwith. the

king-pin axis disposed atie desired'adjusted 'an-- gularity. i"

6. A vehicle king pin supported l'b'y fa; wheelaxle,` Fa`v`e'hi'cle frame, arms vextending laterally-'from saidi'rarxie,

a support hinged to; and directly connecting .said. arms, and a memberxmountednon said king'pin pivotally mounted `being disposed in. a direction transverselyof the `vehicle;frimne topermit a `wheel Suspensionf'comprIsinLa Y and pivotally adjustable onse-id hinged Support. the axis on-whichthe last .mentioned Ameinbenis y rocking adjustment of'the vrking pinin alfore and aft direction of the vehicle 'to fc'aster'gl Y JOHN pin and having arocking adjustment'frelativejfto 50 

